It's a beautiful, wintry morning up top. The high yesterday reached 40 degrees. The overnight low was 14 degrees. It was 14 degrees and cloudy at 7am observation. The mountain received 1 inch of new snow and there is approximately 2 inches of snow remaining. The trails are a bit slick after yesterday afternoon's rain froze overnight... I would recommend some sort of traction devices if you intend to reach the summit. Get out and enjoy the day!

I had a wonderful hike up yesterday afternoon. I got to the trailhead around 2:30 and you could feel in your bones that a storm was coming in. I'm not a meterologist, but there are some days where you just know you're in for a sufferfest. I started off in running shorts and a singlet, with my rain jacket nearby for the cold breezes above Monotony Ridge. I was both excited to get back to the lodge again for the home stretch of my season and antsy from long days of travel and it felt so, so good to be exerting myself again - every step a step closer to the calm of my cabin. As predicted, the rain started to fall hard on Monotony Ridge. My limbs were getting a raw turnip red color from the cold and exertion. I stopped for a minute to put on my jacket and collect the moment for my memory. There are only so many days and they are all a joy on the mountain...

AND, the road (441) is now closed! There is a rime of ice on our cars, and frozen mist coming down, here in Cosby. We restarted the wood stove and I plan a day of reading. Do you know when the staff will hike up? Or when the supply helicopter will run?

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Teresa

3/2/2016 11:03:01 am

Any word on who will be the site manager this year?

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Pearce

3/2/2016 02:37:22 pm

Sharon S, I was curious about this, too. Some web searching revealed Monotony Ridge to be a stretch of relentless ascent above the Alum Cave Bluff. One blogger indicated it was about 3 miles from the trailhead. I have not hiked that section myself, so maybe someone will jump in with a more informed response.

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Sharon S

3/2/2016 07:56:50 pm

I would agree that it's a relentless ascent! Going up, this is usually where I ask my boyfriend 'how much farther' and he lies to me. We call the stretch: 'are we there yet?'

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Ron Adams

3/2/2016 07:58:22 pm

I have never even heard of Monotony Ridge, and I thought I knew the LeConte trails. Is it on the ACB? You can call that trail many things, but monotonous is not one of them.

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Allyson

3/3/2016 08:21:20 am

Monotony Ridge is a section of Alum Cave Trail. Once you have reached Gracie's Pulpit, the half way point, the trail will start going down hill for a little ways. Monotony Ridge starts once you climb the set of stairs and the trail starts going up hill for a while. It is the section between the two sets of stairs.

Sharon and Pearce I would like to know where that place is and if it is on Alum I have been up twice and didn't see it and how far off the A trail is it? Welcome bk.J.P.I went into withdrawls not seeing the blog for a wk.and how was your trip?.I hope good and you know now what you will be doing ,hopefully coming bk.to LeConte in Nov.I will be glad to see and hear about the crew if anyone that has been there before.Wish Chris and Allyson would come bk.I have wanted to go to their place of bs.while in Gatlbg.but haven't made it yet.We are coming to P.F.sunday will try again.

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Steve D

3/2/2016 06:30:50 pm

Pearce- yes it is about 45 minutes from the bluffs to the second staircase. After the first 10-15 minutes, there is a relentless ascent that is about 30 min to get to the second staircase. I love that stretch and if you lean into it and keep going it will give you a serious good cardio workout. That is probably Monotony Ridge. As JP said, once you pass there or the second staircase- you are on the upper section of the mountain- the last 45-60 minutes which are my favorite. The cold breezes as he refers to them are whipping across that upper section- I love that sound and never get tired of it. The temperature up there is totally different. I hope you get up there someday!